Nature Changeling
by Scelestus Daemon
Summary: Uh... an AU kind of thing where a girl called Trudy is a Misfit at Obernewtyn.


Trudy stared out the window dismally and clenched her jaw. Grey sheets of rain tumbled from the dark skies and she knew this was   
  
only the beginning. There could be a firestorm perilously close to Obernewtyn, perhaps even closer than the pass the teknoguilders   
  
used to reach the main house from their caves. A flash of red lightning erupted from above and as if on cue, new sheets of rain  
  
started cascading down in waterfalls, drenching anything and everything. A sharp cuff on her ear brought her back to the kitchens.  
  
"Keep washin' child, the plates are pilin' up again."  
  
Trudy winced as the gruff voice of Javo cut through her resting time and wished she could coerce him into letting her go.   
  
Unfortunately, as far as Gevan and Miryium were concerned, she didn't have even the slightest drop of Coercering talent. She sighed   
  
and started scrubbing the ever-growing pile of plates from the midday meal. She couldn't even empathise to Javo how much she  
  
was suffering... or how much better off he would be without her. Miky and Angina had said as much when the farseeker Ceirwan,   
  
who had been with them when she was being tested for an Empathising talent, had caught the under thought. She didn't have any  
  
Farseeking talent either, he had added before leaving the room as if the testing had just been nothing, nothing important because  
  
it wasn't him who didn't have any talent. No beastspeaking talent either, Alad had mentioned quietly to Ceirwan as they left. She  
  
might not have talent but she wasn't deaf. She had then been carted down to the teknoguilders caves by Fian and was shown old  
  
things - relics, he called them - and was introduced to Garth. She had gotten a fright from Garth... it was just that he was so... big.  
  
Well, at least compared to her small size. When she had gotten back just the day before, Javo had requested a new pair of hands   
  
for the kitchen and she had been the obvious choice - seeing as she hadn't any talent anyway.   
  
"Be you Trudy, child?"  
  
Trudy looked up to see a tall, distant looking woman watching her intently. She dried her hands hastily on a cloth and curtsied as  
  
best as she could without falling over. Maybe this was the Farseeker Guildmistress Elspeth Gordie then. The woman smiled slightly  
  
and bade Trudy not to curtsy to her.  
  
"I am Dell of the Futuretellers Guild. Come."  
  
Not the Farseeker Guildmistress then, but the futureteller ward. Trudy straightened out her clothes of a simple tunic and trews self-  
  
consciously. As much as she had no talent, she didn't want to leave Obernewtyn. No parents, no friends - the land was a bitter   
  
reminder of her past and she had no wish to return. Dell turned and left the kitchens through the back door that led to the main   
  
courtyard and waited patiently for Trudy to catch up. She moved her stare to the skies and said softly,  
  
"We must hurry for there is much chance of lightning. Are you ready?"  
  
Trudy nodded and watched as Dell broke away into the heavy rain and started for the other side of the courtyard. She hurried after   
  
her and wished it wasn't raining so hard now that she was actually outside. As if the idea had been considered by the skies them-  
  
selves, the rain lightened to a drizzle and Trudy made it to where Dell was standing at the door of the Futurtellers Hall without getting  
  
very wet at all. Dell didn't seem to notice the weather change and led the young girl through the main rooms and up the stairs to a   
  
turret room where a woman just as distant looking as Dell sat, staring into a well-lit fire. Dell nodded to the woman and left by the   
  
same door without saying a word. Trudy watched her go nervously and turned to face the woman again.   
  
"Come an' sit by th' fire, Trudy."  
  
Trudy bit her lip lightly and carefully edged her way over to an empty chair and sat down. The roaring of the fire immediately calmed  
  
her down and she settled down into the chair more comfortably.   
  
"I be th' Futureteller Guildmistress Maryon."  
  
Trudy gulped and nodded, wondering if all futuretellers were this unnerving. Maryon had still not looked at her yet she could feel the  
  
Guildmistress asessing her.   
  
"Ye have nowt got any talent."  
  
It was a statement and Trudy bowed her head in acknowledgement.  
  
"I was tested by all the guilds and they found nothing."  
  
Maryon's eyes shifted to her for the first time and inclined her head slightly.  
  
"Yet ye wish ye had some talent for ye feel useless here otherwise."  
  
Trudy gaped and Maryon went on, steepling her fingers on her lap as she did so.  
  
"I have seen this meetin' in a vision. An' I have forseen tha' ye do have a talent."  
  
Trudy shook her head stupidly and replied,  
  
"But the guilds..."  
  
"Have never encountered such a talent."  
  
Maryon finished directly. Trudy felt the blood from her face drain away. She stared at her hands, they were shaking.  
  
"So... so I'm not, I'm not... nothing?"  
  
Maryon shook her head.  
  
"O' course ye aren't. In fact, ye mun be very important to th' fate of Obernewtyn some day."  
  
She reached forward and added another log to the already blazing fire. Trudy folded her shaking hands and breathed deeply before  
  
asking,  
  
"What is my talent?"  
  
Maryon stared at her, stood up and walked to her desk. She sat down and bowed her head as Trudy had done not long ago. There   
  
was such a lengthy silence that Ruby wondered if she had fallen asleep. Just as she had worked up the courage to ask the question  
  
again, Maryon spoke.  
  
"I do not know."  
  
Trudy frowned, confused.  
  
"But I thought you..."  
  
"Futuretelling is vague at best an' th' mindstream does nowt answer questions."  
  
Maryon looked up just as there was a knock on the door and Dell entered with Guildmaster Roland of the Healing Guild. She stood  
  
up and formally greeted the older man. To Trudy's surprise, Roland looked just as uncomfortable in Maryon and Dell's presence.  
  
"Is she the girl?"  
  
He asked gruffly to the futureteller ward and she nodded. He walked over to where Trudy was still sitting and knelt on one knee to   
  
get to eye level with her.   
  
"Have you ever been able to heal anyone before? Or has anything you've touched just suddenly gotten better?"  
  
Trudy said,  
  
"No Guildmaster."  
  
Roland seemed to consider this and stroked at an imaginary beard.  
  
"Alright. I'm going to see if you have any dormant healing abilities. Don't worry, it won't hurt."  
  
Trudy's eyes widened fearfully but she nodded still - the others had done the same and it hadn't hurt at all. It was just ticklish.   
  
Roland placed a hand on her forehead and closed his eyes, breathing deeply. After a few breaths, he opened his eyes and shook his  
  
head softly to the futuretellers. Maryon sighed and seated herself by the fireplace again.  
  
"It was worth a try."  
  
She murmured and thanked Roland. Dell helped him up and they left by the same route again. Maryon closed her eyes wearily.  
  
"Go child. I will delve into th' mindstream again but I do nowt know what will come of it. In th' meantime, I bid ye visit the farseeker  
  
Guildmistress. Whatever ye future holds, it be linked to hers."  
  
Trudy blinked back tears and left the room quickly. After all of that and she still didn't know what her talent was. She sighed and ran  
  
down the steps of the turret room and out of the futuretellers hall, aware that Javo would have a new stack of plates for her to  
  
wash. She passed through the courtyard and noted that although it had stopped raining and the stormclouds had all but disappeared,  
  
there was a strong wind blowing and if she had not stopped halfway through the courtyard to immerse herself in the feeling of the  
  
wind she wouldn't have heard the sound of horses coming from the White Valley. She pulled the sound closer with wind and made  
  
out four horses, each holding a rider. She hurried back into the kitchens and searched for Javo amid the bustle of people. He was   
  
standing over a large pot of broth for the patients in the healers hall and directing a group of dishwashers to the pots and pans in   
  
the corner. Trudy ran up to him breathlessly and tugged at his sleeve. Although she didn't want to get into trouble for having left  
  
the dishes while seeing Maryon, she knew the rule of telling if she saw someone coming to Obernewtyn. The large man paused in   
  
his stirring and shouted above the din,  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"There are four riders coming up from the White Valley."  
  
She said and then repeated herself as Javo cocked his ear to show he couldn't hear. Upon hearing this, Javo scrutinized her care-  
  
fully.   
  
"And how do you know this?"  
  
He bellowed back and Trudy cringed slightly.  
  
"I heard them from the courtyard sir."  
  
Javo pursed his lips and finally nodded.  
  
"Alright then. Go find Ceirwan and tell him."  
  
Trudy nodded and left the kitchen quickly before realizing she should have asked whereabouts the Farseeker ward would be. She   
  
shrugged and asked Zarak, another farseeker ward. He was silent for a moment while he farsought Ceirwan and then pointed Ruby  
  
toward the farseeker hall to the otherside of the main house. Trudy thanked him and hurried on, anxious to get her message to  
  
Ceirwan as quick as possible. She entered the hall and cast about for the young man and found him seated next to Freya, an empath  
  
ward. She glanced up as Trudy entered, instantly feeling her agitation. She gestured to Ceirwan and he looked up to Trudy as she  
  
stood shyly at the door.  
  
"Come Trudy."  
  
He called from his seat and Freya stood up and left with a smile to them both. Trudy returned it and trotted over to Ceirwan. He   
  
gave her his full attention and smiled pleasently.   
  
"Yes?"  
  
Trudy managed a wobbly curtsy and blurted out,  
  
"There are four riders coming up the pass from the White Valley."  
  
Ceirwan stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders.  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
Trudy shuffled her feet.  
  
"I heard them."  
  
Ceirwan nodded and sent out a probe to see who it was. Trudy cleared her throat softly,  
  
"But... they've only just passed the second lot of coercer-knights so they might be a while."  
  
Even Trudy felt Ceirwan's surprise as he located them and knew it to be true. He opened his eyes and looked at her, frowning.  
  
"Yes, you're right. It's Elspeth, Rushton, Dameon and Dragon... but how did you hear them if they're only halfway up the pass?"  
  
Trudy shrugged and replied,  
  
"The horses were cantering and I heard their hooves on the ground."  
  
Ceirwan started to the main doors of Obernewtyn, an arm around her shoulders.  
  
"With all this cursed rain I don't know how you could have heard them but... ye gods!"  
  
Ceirwan cried and slapped his forehead.  
  
"They must have gotten fair wet and Dragon despises water. I just wonder how she fares from being poured on."  
  
Ceirwan walked faster and wordlessly led Trudy into a chamber just next to the main doors. He pointed to the hearth and left the  
  
room calling out behind him,  
  
"Start a fire and then ask Javo for a meal for the four. No doubt Elspeth didn't stop to eat - and knowing the others they didn't   
  
remember either. I'll be back with towels and dry clothes."  
  
Trudy nodded and set to work making a fire. Once it was blazing quite nicely, she hurried back to Javo and he handed her a tray   
  
with platters of bread, cheese and vegetable slice and a jug of cordial. She thanked him and made her way back to the now-  
  
warm chamber, balancing the tray so as not to drop anything. Ceirwan was already there with a pile of clothing and towels in his  
  
arms and he dropped them onto one of the chairs and helped her with the tray when she entered. He smiled at her in thanks and  
  
cocked his head as Elspeth farsent to him to open the door. He glanced at Trudy hurriedly and chewed on his lip. Finally, he bade  
  
her to follow him. They reached the large wooden doors and Ceirwan pulled on one door handle.  
  
"Help me Trudy, the wind is too strong for me to keep it open long enough for them to get otherwise."  
  
Trudy nodded and grabbed hold of the handle underneath him and pulled with all her might, getting the wind to push a little on her  
  
side. As if called, they felt plucks of air pulling on the handle as well and the door creaked open lightly. Four dripping figures rushed  
  
in quickly and they managed to shut the door between them. Ceirwan rushed them into the warm chamber before Trudy had a chance  
  
to look at them and she followed hesitantly, unsure of whether to follow or not. The Farseeker Guildmistress made the decision for  
  
her.   
  
"Come in then Trudy, and shut the door so the warmth doesn't leave the room."  
  
Trudy gulped and shut the door quickly before rushing to serve food and drink on platters. She kept her eyes averted while they all  
  
stripped off their upper layers and laid them to steam by the fire - Ceirwan handed them towels and dry clothes and they donned   
  
them quickly before thanking Trudy and eating ravenously. Ceirwan narrowed his eyes as he studied his guildmistress.  
  
"You didn't stop to eat all day did you?"  
  
A guilty look passed Elspeth's face and she shot a look at Rushton in plea. Rushton managed to keep a straight face and murmured,  
  
"We were very busy. Didn't really have any time."  
  
The blind Empath Guildmaster nodded in agreement and turned to his young charge Dragon, who was mournfully pulling at her wet  
  
curls and trying to eat at the same time. He smiled and Ruby suddenly felt very comfortable. She realized with a start, as she saw  
  
the others seem to relax visibly, that he must have been sending out soothing rays of comfort to everyone.   
  
"Wet."  
  
Dragon muttered hatefully and looked at Trudy who was comparably dry.  
  
"Hate wet."  
  
Trudy made a face and handed her a towel to wrap around her shoulders.  
  
"Me too."  
  
She admitted and felt several eyes turn towards her. She turned bright red and ducked her head to avoid being stared at. Dameon   
  
sounded queer as he requested softly,  
  
"Child, come here please."  
  
Trudy tried not to panic and willed herself over to where he sat.  
  
"Kneel down."  
  
She did so and he stretched out a hand to hers.  
  
"Don't be so frightened. But there is more on your mind. What is it?"  
  
Trudy suddenly felt very at ease and she relaxed against the chair and spoke to the Farseeker Guildmistress, who in turn stopped  
  
speaking to her bondmate.  
  
"Maryon said I was to see you. She said that my future lies-"  
  
Trudy's mind went blank and she opened her mouth and then shut it, confused. Elspeth watched her very carefully and Trudy suddenly  
  
heard Elspeth's voice as if she were speaking inside her head.  
  
"Speak no more of this for now. We will speak later. Make up something for now."  
  
Trudy shook her head a little and started again in request to Elspeth.  
  
"She said my future lies with Obernewtyn. Does that mean I don't have to go?"  
  
Rushton smiled and shook his head before holding Elspeth's hand tenderly.  
  
"Of course not Trudy. You may stay as long as you wish. Forever, if it suits you."  
  
The blind Empath patted Trudy's hand questioningly.  
  
"But that is not all Maryon told you. What else?"  
  
Trudy sighed and studied the carpet glumly.  
  
"She said I have a talent that none of the guilds have encountered before. But she doesn't know what."  
  
They all looked up at that and Ruby wished she hadn't said it. Elspeth definately looked very interested at this and said so, much  
  
to Trudy's discomfort.   
  
"What can you do?"  
  
Trudy's mouth went dry and she gulped carefully at a glass of cordial Rushton handed her.  
  
"Nothing I know of."  
  
She admitted downcastly and Elspeth asked,  
  
"You have no affinty to beasts? Ceir mentioned that you heard us coming up the pass from the White Valley. We were visiting the  
  
Twentyfamilies Gypsies."  
  
She added quickly and Trudy momentarily wondered if that had really been her intent. Rushton spoke up softly,  
  
"And all that was left of the statue Cassy Dupre had forseen of you..."  
  
Elspeth's eyes slid towards her bondmate and he trailed off. She said,  
  
"Yes and that. So have you an affinity to beasts? Is that how you heard us?"  
  
Trudy knew the Farseeker Guildmistress was dismissing the topic of the visit to the White Valley and concentrated on explaining  
  
how she had heard them just before.   
  
"I was in the courtyard and I stopped to breathe in the air, it was all fresh and it had just been around Katlyn's herb garden so it   
  
smelt good. Then I heard horses and told Javo."  
  
Dragon chose that moment to slide off her seat and crawl over to where Trudy sat by the blind Empath's feet. Trudy looked at her  
  
in surprise and was even more surprised when Dragon reached out a tentative hand and stroked her hair, awe mirrored in her eyes.  
  
"Pretty."  
  
She murmured softly and looked up at Dameon in agreement. Dameon smiled unerringly at her and nodded.  
  
"Yes. It is pretty, isn't it?"  
  
Trudy blushed and knew they did not lie. Her hair -was- pretty; it was the only thing her mother had given her before dying and  
  
she meant to keep it as best she could. It had been growing every since she was a babe, and thirteen turns later, it reached past her  
  
waist line, thick and luscious, in all it's colourful glory. She thought colourful because it was just that - on first glance it was black  
  
but depending on the light, or even her moods sometimes, it shimmered different colours. A cough brought her back to reality and  
  
she realized with a start that the guildmistress had been speaking to her. She gulped and asked her to repeat her question.  
  
"What do you mean it had just been around Katlyn's herb garden?"  
  
Trudy's eyes darkened as she considered this question and finally shrugged helplessly.  
  
"I don't know. I just knew it did. It smelt like saffron... and only Katlyn grows that here. Besides, that wind was young, it wouldn't  
  
have had time to go anywhere else in the land yet."  
  
Elspeth frowned at that and Dameon stood up gently and announced he should get to bed for the ride had made him tired, Dragon  
  
yawned at the same time and he escorted her, with Ceirwan's help, out of the room. Trudy faced the Master of Obernewtyn and   
  
his bondmate alone.  
  
"How did you know the wind was young?"  
  
Trudy said incredulously,  
  
"All winds are made up higher than the main land. I thought everyone knew that."  
  
Rushton chuckled and pecked his bondmate on the cheek lovingly.  
  
"I'm off to see Alad down at the farms before it gets too dark. I'll be back soon."  
  
Elspeth nodded, preoccupied with Trudy, and Rushton smiled fondly at her before leaving again through the front doors of the  
  
main house to see the Beastspeaking Guildmaster at the other end of the maze. As soon as they were alone, Elspeth gestured for  
  
Trudy to sit up on the chair Dameon had vacated and helped herself to another slice of vegetable on bread.   
  
"What did Maryon say?"  
  
Trudy bit her lip, wondering how much to tell her. Elspeth clearly heard the underthought and motioned around her.  
  
"There is no one else listening but me. Tell me all she said."  
  
Encouraged, Trudy related all that had happened at the Futureteller Hall and finished off by saying how Maryon  
  
had forseen her future entertwined with Elspeth's. The older woman nodded absently and leaned back against the soft chair.  
  
"She could only be talking about the rebellion still in the West. You will most probably be a key to that - no doubt she will forsee  
  
some of us going down to Sutrium when the trials start, you included."  
  
Trudy thought of many rude things she could do to the Futureteller if she dared to forsee Trudy having to leave. Elspeth laughed  
  
lightly as she heard the rebellious girl's thoughts and sat upright.   
  
"No you will not do that to the poor futureteller guildmistress - they don't have a say in what they forsee anyway... either way, if  
  
they forsee something, no matter what, it will inevitably happen. Speaking of the future, if Maryon has seen yours with mine, no  
  
doubt we will be able to figure out your talent when the time is right."  
  
Trudy nearly started crying in despair.  
  
"But how can I find out what it is when I don't know anything about it? And what can my future have with you if I can't even do the  
  
simplest talented things anyway?"  
  
Elspeth grimaced as Trudy's mind projected images of her father and brothers being slaughtered by their Councilman's soldiers and  
  
said,  
  
"Well, at least we can work on improving your mind shield. And meditation, and learning the fingerspeech to communicate with   
  
beasts, and I'm sure in the meantime some of the guilds could do with a bit of extra help."  
  
Trudy thought of the kitchens and made a face while Elspeth guessed what she was thinking of and laughed.  
  
"I spent many a sevenday washing pots and pans when I first arrived."  
  
Trudy gaped, she could never see the serious Guildmistress doing anything but being important. Elspeth yawned tiredly and stared  
  
into the fire dreamily.   
  
"Back then Madam Vega and Alex were in charge here... and I thought I was alone in my talent. So much has changed here since   
  
then, so much. It is ironic to think that all through this, the simplest of tasks - washing - will always stay the same for whoever  
  
has the job."  
  
She smiled and then leant forward to Trudy secretively.  
  
"Tomorrow we will figure out what your talent is. You will learn how to keep up a mind shield, meditate and fingerspeech with the  
  
beasts. But that is tomorrow, and tonight I am tired so I bid you go to your bed and come to my tower after morning meal. I will  
  
tell Javo that you are to be put off dishes for now."  
  
Trudy managed a rue grin and stood up sleepily. She curtsied wobbily, bent to take the food tray back to the kitchens. Elspeth thanked  
  
her and she left feeling giddy with anticipation. After depositing the tray with Javo, she went back to the bed she had been allocated  
  
for now in the empath hall and tiredly fell into bed. But as exhausted as she was, she couldn't sleep for all the thoughts running  
  
through her mind. From her being a non-exsistant nobody with no talent, her future now lay with the Farseeker Mistress and she  
  
apparently had such a talent that no one had ever known. Not to mention she was off kitchen duty. She sighed in pleasure at the   
  
thought of not having to scrub and scrub and scrub till her hands went raw and with that thought, was able to fall into a deep,   
  
fatigued sleep. 


End file.
